Cushioning device for bicycle forks and the like



Feb. 6, 1940. 2,188,968

CUsHIoNINC DEVICE `FCE BICYCLE EoRKs AND THEALIKE H. R. UBE

Filed April 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Haro/a j?. er

H. R. UBER Feb. 6, 1940. v

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR BICYCLE FORKS AND THE LIKE Y Filed April 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 BY o Patented Feb. e, 1940 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE oUsHIoNING DEVICE Fon! Brcgemiroims AND THE LIKE f Harold R. Uber, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The o 'o it Cleveland Welding Company, Cleveland0hio,

, al corporation of Ohio Application April 27, 193s,` serial Nq. 204,693

This invention relates, as indicated to'cushioningv devices, but has reference more particu' larly to a cushioned action for the front forks of bicycles.

The primary vobject of the invention is to provide avdevice of the character described, whichr will beeiiective to absorb shocks to the frame Vl tured and assembled parts of ruggedfconstruc- `r tion. l .To the accomplishment ofthe foregoing and related ends,fsaid invention,` then, consists of the means hereinafter fully describedv and particularly Vpointed out in the claims.

l The annexed drawings 'and the following Ide-` scription set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but` vone of various mee chanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the front fork o av bicycle embodying the novel features of the 30 invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said fork; Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional View, taken on they line 3 3 of Fig 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional View, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the fork brace rod support;

Fig. 8 is a View, similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a view, rsimilar to Fig. 2, but showing i5 a somewhat different mannerof supporting the mud guard.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the drawings I designates the tubular head of the frame of a bicycle, and through .zu which extends the tubular post 2 of the bicycle fork. Secured to the lower end of the post 2, as by welding or the like, is a fork brace 3. The i brace 3, as shown in Fig. 5, engages the lower end of the head I, and the upper end of the post 2 has secured thereto at its upper end a l these furcations to `portions of the arms 6 and into the springs I5,

`H5 and I'I.

The brace 3, as shown mostclearly in Fig. 3,

is provided with a pair of curved,laterallyjspaced, 5 iorwarded'extending arms E having'openings in the'forjward ends thereof for fthe reception'o'f o upper truss rods'l, and is also provided with a pair of laterally-spaced downwardly-extending lugs -havinghorizontal threaded aperturesl'g therein.

Pivotalivsecured to the lugs `8 `of thefork brace, las by means of shouldered studs I5 l,are the hollow furcations Il of the fork, solid metallic inserts YI2 being provided for the' upper ends' lofi provide af better bearing for the studs..` The furcations II have rigidlysef" cured-near` their upper ends' fork arms i3 hav-A ing openings in theirforward ends which, arey substantially' in vertical alignment with `the openings in the fork brace arms 6, for the reception of'lower truss rods I4. The truss krods Id are pivotally securedi'to vthe front wheelaxle of thev bicycle, in the usual manner, as 'are thefurcations II of the fork.

Interposed between the forward end of the bracev arms 6 and the forward ends of the fork arms I3 are Ahelical springs l5, these springs being preferably of double conical form and being in alignment with the openings in the arms 6 kand I3. The upper ends of the truss rods 'I are anchored to the bracket 5 in the manner shown in Figs. l'and 2, while the lower ends of these rods extend through the openings in the forward being anchored to such springs by means of nuts The nuts I6 directly engage the arms 6, and the nuts l1, which are conical in form, engage the uppermost convolutions of the springs l I5, clamping such convolution between them and washers I8, which are interposed between the springs and the arm 6. The upper ends of the truss rods I4 extend through the openings in the forward portions of the arms I3 and into the springs I5, being anchored tol such springs by means of a conical nut I1 and washers I8, the nuts engaging the lowermost convolutions of the springs and clamping such convolutions between them and the washers.

The front mudguard I9 of the bicycle, which, in this case, is secured directly to the front Wheel (not shown) has portions thereof cut away at the sides to accommodate passage of the fur- 1 `cations II of the fork, and between this guard and the brace 3, there is interposed a piece 20 u of sponge rubber or similar cushioning material,

which is secured in position by means o f a screw l 2l extending through the mud guard and into the z 1 the fork is of articulated construction, and that the extent of pivotal movement between the` the like, directly to the fork of the bicycle,` so

parts of the fork is limitedv by means of the truss rods and their interposed springs.

When the rider is seated upon the bicycle, the

frame will descend to a slight extent, thereby causing the furcations Il of the fork to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) about their pivots, i. e., about the studs I0. At the same the separate fork arm I3.

time, the springs l5 are compressed by the fork imposed upon the bicycle frame. When the front wheel strikes an obstruction in the road, the furcations Il tend to move in a clockwise direction about their pivots, and at the same time, the rods I4 move downwardly, thereby elongating the springs I5 somewhat, and avoiding strains on the frame of the bicycle.

The springs thus tend to absorb all shocks'` of riding and insure a smooth, vibrationless ride.

Since the mud guard I9 is, in this case, secured directly to the front wheel, it will have a limited movement, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, but such movement will be cushioned by the sponge rubber pieces 20 and 22, sc that rattling of the mud guard on the frame is avoided. a In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, the furcations of the fork are formed of two separate members Ila, and Hb. Each member Il a is in the fcrrnof-` a steel forging which: is pivoted to the fork brace 3 by means of thel stud l0, and has formed integrally therewith a fork arm I3a which serves the same purpose as The member Ila is further provided with a tenon 30 which extends into the member Hb of the fork, the members The springs l5a are of ysomewhat modified form, andthe truss rods 'Ia and Ma each have a thread 3l formed adjacent one end of the rod, whereby the. rod may be threadedly secured to the end convolutions of the springs.v

This eliminates the need for washers.

f In that form of the invention rshown in Fig. 9,

the mud guard I9a. is secured, as by welding or stated by any of thev following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly `point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. A truss'construction for forks for bicycles and the like comprising an upper truss rod, a

lower truss rod and a spring, the lower endv of said upper truss rod being spaced from` the upper end of said lower truss rod and said spring being attached to saidends whereby it lmay act in compression or tension in accordance with the movement of the lower end of said lower trussrod with, j

respect to the upper end of said upper truss rod.

2. A truss'construction for forks for bicycles and the like comprising a pair ofv upper truss rods, a pair of lower truss rods anda pair of coil springs, thevlower ends of said upper truss rods being spaced `from the upper ends of said lower truss rods and each of said springs being attached to one of said lower ends and to kone of said upper ends, whereby it may act in compression or tension in accordance with the move-y ments of one of the lower ends of one of the lower truss rods with respect to the upper end of one of said upper truss rods.

HAROLD R. BER. 

